When we pulled up at the Chester Zoo car park yesterday my heart sank as the heavens opened just as we were supposed to head in. But after half an hour of sitting in the cafe near the entrance, the blue sky started peeping through the clouds and we were treated to a glorious day after that.
Image courtesy of Chester Zoo
As a working mum of two, when the weekends and holidays roll around I am always on the lookout for places that will cater for both my daughters- one is ten months old and the other is a preschooler (3)- not an easy feat. So I was delighted to be asked to go and review Chester Zoo to find out what it had to keep both my little girls happy and it did not disappoint.
As soon as we had seen the elephants next to the entrance- my eldest got a taste for the adventure and that was it- she spent the rest of the day pulling us around to view the next animal like she had a mental checklist of what she wanted to see.
While my youngest was more curious than excitable, she enjoyed quitely viewing the animals from the clear perspex fences. These integrated see-through gaps in the safety barriers allow little ones to view the animals with ease to save their parents having to lift them up at every new enclosure.
It’s been four years since we last set foot in the zoo and as me and my husband didn't have children at that point, we missed all of the things that are geared towards our daughter’s age groups. This time around, they were definitely on the radar. The park boasts a plethora of playgrounds for little ones as well as the animal attractions, most of which are centred around the same location in the Madagascar portion of the zoo. Children can play in the giant sand pit, complete with pirate ship at the Beach Play Area, pump and dam water at the Irodo River and play on a traditional playground at Wildlife Wood.
All of these areas made excellent stopping points for snacks and gave my daughter some variety to her day so she was entertained from when we arrived to when she fell asleep in the car on the way home. But not before she had her face painted- yes, the park also does this too!
As for our baby, she was well catered for as there were plenty of baby changing pit stops (where you can buy nappies from the machines if you forget yours) and picnic tables with parasols so we could feed her a bottle in the shade. We also took a stroll around the Chinese Rock Garden- this is the perfect place for napping as it’s lovely and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of the more popular parts of the zoo. You might even catch a glimpse of the elusive Red Panda if you look very carefully!
Particular highlights included the Humboldt Penguins and the Giant Otters where the girls could see them up close as they swam parallel to the glass. We also made it over to the Giraffes just in time to see them eating which was a real treat for both.
The Tropical Realm was just as engaging for our youngest as she was able to look up at all the tropical birds in the trees and see the monkeys swinging from the branches. In these viewing areas, she really did have the best seat in the house! The Cinnamon Frog was a firm favourite of our eldest as it clung to the glass so she could get a good look at its camouflage.
While there is little to criticise about the zoo, one thing I would say is that as a parent, it’s a challenge for little legs to get around the whole place in one day. So I would suggest either making a couple of trips so you can get the most out of each area, or downloading the map and planning which areas you really want to see beforehand. Another piece of advice would be to get a map when you arrive as there are many paths linking you to each portion so you may get lost if you try to navigate your way around without one.
By the time we had had lunch, visited some attractions, stopped to change nappies, eaten ice creams and spent some time in the play areas, we got to closing time and had regrettably missed seeing some of the animals. It is big and if you think your kids will struggle there is always a buggy hire at the start so you can speed things up should you wish.
If you have children of similar age to my own, I would not hesitate to take them here over the Bank Holiday, as it has everything you could want from a family day out- fresh air, plenty of places to eat both in and outdoors, so many things to see and do and the chance to learn a little something too.
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